Bacon forming or shaping machine



March 25, 1930. c MASSEY BACON FORMING 6R SHAPING momma Filed April 25 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet R O T N E V N v I bw/wa C Mass: Y

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March 25, 1930. H. c. MASSEY BACON FORMING OR SHAPING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (lll'l INVENYOR umlll" flawnea CI M75591 H. C. MASSEY March 25, 1930. BACON FORMING on smrme MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Filed April 25, 1929 INVENTOR /o wako C /7fl63Y Z1 A TORNE Y Patented Mar. 25, 1 930 UNITED sT Tes, PATEL oFFlcE HowARn 0.. MASSEY, OF KANSAS CITY, lviissounr BACON ronmne on Application filed. April 23,

The present invention relates to improvementsoin bacon-forming or shaping machines, the primary. object of the invention being the 'provision' of a machine wherein a slab :of bacon 'may be compressed :both from above and at the sides thereof to shape the same into uniform slabs solely by compressive action, thus eliminating cutting or trimming of the slab. p i

Another object of this invention is the provision of a 'novel form of mold=inwhich mechanism is provided for compressingthe sides thereof upon the bacon thereinwhilea superimposed'troller engages the upper surface, of the bacon to compress the same'within the mold, thereby providing means to accommo-v date bacon slabsof various widths and thick. nesses and to-mol'd' the sameinto uniform and attractive shape. a A, Still' anoth'er object "of the present invention is theprovisionof means for preventing an-y'slip between'the main roller and bacon during the rolling of the roller over the bacon.

"With the foregoing and other objects in view,- which will-appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combination and arrangements of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed,itgbeing understoodthat changes in the precise embodiment ofthe invention herein disclosed, canbe-made withinthe scope of what is claimed 'withou'tdeparting from the spirit'ofthei-nventio "Infthe accompanyingdrawings Figure 1 is'aside'e'levation oft-he complete machine;

' Figure 2 is-anen'd viewthereof takenfrom the'right', "as viewed in Figure 1, and on an enlarged scale with legs removed;

Figure 3isa top p1anv-iewo the mold with the sidewalls in their normal extended position'; Figure l 'isa-section taken on line 44 ofFigure 3; g

,Figurei5 is a sectiontaken on line ,55 of Figl l feiij; Figure '6 is a sideview of one ofithe mold supporting members Figure Tisan end'v ew thereof;

clined'portions 250i the mold bed plate or 's urne the full and dotted line positions as SHAZPING MACHINE 1929. Serial No. 357,489.

I Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a section taken on line 99-' of Figure 1;- Figure 10 is an enlarged detail side eleva 15 tion of the operatin lever whereby reciprocating motion is imparted to the main roller carrying yoke.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 11 designates the supporting legs of the machine, the cross-pieces12'support two I-beams 13and 14 disposed longitudinally and parallel to eachother for supporting the operated as Well as the operating'mechanisms of the machine. I a v Carried by'the two beams 13 and 14, and upstanding from the inner flangesthereof, are four'fixed pins 15, the purpose of which will presently appear. Mounted upon'the upper surface of the beams 13 and '14 are 1 two plates 16-and 17', each constructed identically but disposed inopposite positions'so as to be moved to and from each other, their wedges 18 being disposed to form an adjusting mechanismto raise and lowera mold-plate or bed 24. A'rod 20 threadably engages the plate 16'17 at21 and 22, and as the threads of this rod 20 are, respectively, righ and left-hand threads,- a shouldered portion 23 thereof, when rotated by a handle H, will cause the wedges 18 to be moved toward or away from each other, and inasmuch as the rod 20 is-disposed between two apertured o projections 26 with a fixed cylinder '27 car-- riedby said rod-mounted therebetweenyth'e rod itself does not move longitudinally when rotated but causes the movement of said wedges; These wedges 18 coactwiththe-inbase 24 and the latteris' moved upwardly or downwar'dl-yupon-the pins 15 b'ythe consequent rotation'of the rodeo, i a Carried at the forward end of the mold bed plate24' are two aperturedandfspaced lugs 29 Whichreceive, respectively, pivoting pins or screws 30 to secure'the forward ends '28 of the respective side molding" members or walls :31 so that the same may be moved to ce ed in a recess 36 of the plate 24 at the for- 7 There are, therefore, two

ward edge thereof. of these sleeves 34 mounted upon the rod 35, while a spring 37 is disposed upon the rod between the sleeves and has a tension outwardly so as to separate the sleeves. Thus, when the walls 31 are free to move, and the spring causes them to assume the position as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. F

In order to impart movement to said walls 31 in opposition to the spring 37, the outer edges 38 are flanged to receive rollers 39, there being one to each wall. These rollers are connected to and supported from respective projections 40 of a frame 41, and this frame 41, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, is provided with a stud 42in the lower end carrying a roller 43 which engages, respectively, the base flange at the outerportionof eachof the beams 13 and 14 and these, when desired, carry the full weight of the main roller 45 mounted for rotation upon a shaft 44in a main yoke 41, of which yoke the arms 41 constitute a part.

' In order that the desired reciprocating movement may be imparted to the yoke 41 and, consequently, the main roller caused to i Y be rotated above the mold, and the walls 31 to be moved toward each other as the main roller is operated in one direction or to the right, as "illustrated in Figure 1, a rod is connected to the yoke 41 andisguided in bearings 51 and 52 mounted in the respective supports 49 and 53. A couplin 54 is con nected to the rod 50 between the bearings 51 and 52 and is pivotally connected at 55 to a short link 56 which, inturn,is pivotally connected' at 57 to the upper end of an operat- H ing lever 57 This lever 57 is mounted upon a shaft 60 supported in a frame 61 depending from the beams 13 and 14 and supported thereby. A pin and roller 62 is mounted for sliding movement in a slot 63 of the lever 57 and, through a link 64 and its stud'shaft 65, connects the same to gearing 66 so that said lever 57 will have the desired reciprocating movement imparted thereto and, in turn, impart straight-line reciprocation to the rod 50. Connected to operate the gear mechanism is a prime mover, here shown as anelectric motor 67, which drives a sprocket wheel 69 through a silent chain 68. V 7

Thus, it will be apparent that when the motor is operated the main roller 45 will be reciprocated and will ride upon the side of bacon exposed withinthe mold and the rollers 39 will cooperate with said pivoted walls 31 thereof to move the same inwardly againstthe action of the spring 37 to compress the sides simultaneously with the downward pressure upon the upper face or surface of the bacon due to the action of the main roller 45, thus forming the side or slab of bacon in a compact parallel mass of uniform thickness and width.

The walls 31 may be of varying heightsand may also bewider or narrower than here shown to the end that they may be inter changed for action upon bacon slabs of various sizes. By manipulating the rod 20, the entire mold may be raised or lowered to receive the desired compressing action of the roller 45 in accordance withthe thickness of the bacon slabs to be operated upon.

In order that the main roller may be pre vented from slipping during the. rotation thereof when reciprocated over the side of the bacon slab, the two supports 48and 49 carry a toothed rack bar 47 at one side of the ma-v chine above the beam 13. Mounted thereupon for rotation with the main roller 45 is a gear 46 which meshes at all times with the teeth of the bar 47. Thus, as the rod 50 is reciprocated andmoves the roller 45 to and from the end of the machine, as illustrated'in Figure 1, the teeth of the rack bar 47 and the gear 46 cooperate to insure an-even rotation of the main roller and thereby, as above stated, pre vent the surface of the roller from slipping upon the surface of the baconslab;

- The operation of the machine will, from the foregoing description considered in conjunction with the drawings, be readily understood, but, briefly stated, it is as follows The mold is adjusted vertically bymanipu side or slab of bacon is thenplaced upon the bed plate, 24 between the walls 31 and the prime mover is initially operated so that the rod 50 moves the roller from left to right, as shown in Figure 1.- Simultaneously with the engagement of the roller'45 with the upper surface of the slab of bacon, the-rollers 39 engage the flanges 38 of the walls 31 and move them inwardly against the tension 'of the spring37, Thus pressureis exerted upon the slab of bacon simultaneously from above and at the sides thereof, the movement of the roller from right to'left, as shown in Figure 1, completing the compressing operation and causing the rollers 39 to free the walls 31 to the action of the spring 37, which thereby causes the free ends of the walls to move-to the full line position, as shown in Figure 3,v

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What I claim is 1. A bacon-forming machine including a frame, a main roller reciprocatingly mounted therein, and a bacon mold mounted uponthe frame and disposed to hold the bacon with the top exposed to the roller to permit the roller to compress the bacon into the mold.

2. A bacon-forming machine including a frame, a main roller reciprocatingly mounted therein and an adjustable bacon mold mounted upon the frame and disposed to hold the bacon with the top exposed to the main roller 7 to permit said roller to compress the bacon into the mold.

3. A bacon-forming machine including a frame, a main roller reciprocatingly mounted therein, and an adjustable bacon mold mounted upon the frame and disposed to hold the bacon with the top exposed to the main roller to permit said roller to compress the bacon into mold, said mold having a fixed base and two spring projected side walls, and means operable with the roller for simultaneously moving the walls toward each other as the main roller .is moved over the mold in one direction.

4. A bacon-forming machine including a frame, a main roller reciprocatingly mounted therein and an adjustable bacon mold mounted upon the frame and disposed to hold the bacon with the top exposed to the main roller to permit said roller to compress thebacon into the mold, said mold having a fixed base and two spring projected side walls, and means operable with the roller for simultaneously moving the walls toward each other as the main roller is moved over the mold in one direction,

wedges toward and from each other to thereby cause lowered.

9. A bacon-forming machine according to claim 1, wherein means is provided for insuring the positive rotation of the main roller as the same is reciprocated.

10. A bacon-forming machine according to the mold to be bodily raised orclaim 1, wherein a fixed toothed rack is mounted upon the frame adjacent the main roller, and a gear rotatable with the main roller and meshing with the rack to insure positive rotation of the main roller during the recipromy hand.

v HOWARD C. MASSEY.

said side walls being released as the roller is moved in the opposite direction due to the action of the spring tension thereon to permit free access to the formed bacon.

5. A bacon-forming machine according to claim 3, in which the means for simultaneously moving the walls toward each otherincludes two rollers engaging from opposite directions said walls and movable with the main roller, said two rollers being arranged to compress the walls against the spring tension when the main roller is moved in one direction and to free the walls to the spring action when the main roller is moved in the opposite direction.

6. A bacon-forming machine according to claim 4, wherein the side walls are pivotally mounted at their forward ends to the fixed base of the mold, and an extension spring bearing against the walls to space the free ends thereof.

7 A bacon-forming machine according to claim 2, wherein manually operable adjusting means is provided to bodily elevate and lower the moldv 8. A bacon-forming machine according to claim 2, wherein two wedges support the mold upon the frame, and a rightand left-hand screw member is provided .to move the 

